September is National Preparedness Month, a time when the entire country is encouraged to commit to preparing for disasters, both natural and manmade. During this month, federal government agencies and others remind their partners of the resources available to help protect themselves and strengthen their resilience to disasters.

The theme for National Preparedness Month 2022 is “A Lasting Legacy,” which focuses on individuals protecting themselves and their families from disasters. While the theme does not focus on organizations and businesses per se, WaterISAC reminds its members that employee readiness is essential for organizational readiness. What’s more, the Presidential Proclamation for National Preparedness Month highlights the importance of critical infrastructure preparedness and resilience. It also points to new funding from recently passed federal legislation that aims to increase the resilience of infrastructure, much of which is made available through grant programs run by FEMA (which WaterISAC often reports on).

Some resources to consider for National Preparedness Month include FEMA’s Ready.gov website, EPA’s Drinking Water and Wastewater Resilience webpage, the Small Business Administration’s Prepare for Emergencies webpage, and the Tools section of the WaterISAC portal.